DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT

 

IT’S ALL ABOUT ME:

A PORTFOLIO OF PERSONAL REFLECTION

 

 “The self is a learned, subjective, dynamic construct that is perceptually acquired.”

 

The fascination with undergraduate psychology courses starts to fade as students delve into the challenges of understanding learning theories, experimental psychology, research methods, and statistics. They come to realize that the dimensions of psychology extend well beyond the “excitement” of self‐discovery they attach to studying personality theories and learning the stages of psycho‐social development that gives them a clearer understanding of themselves and the people around them.

The dynamics of human behavior cannot be framed or understood in an academic context that is measured in hours or even semesters. This process of learning about human behavior is ongoing. It is an exciting undertaking that has many tangents and tributaries. In an effort to keep you grounded in studying psychology while providing you with an opportunity to study your “self,” you will be required to submit a portfolio at the end of the semester. Among other things, it should contain:

 

  1. A well‐developed, well‐written autobiographical essay highlighting important details of your psychosocial development,
  2. A modified genogram or family tree that includes immediate family and both maternal and paternal grandparents along with extended family members and close friends. The purpose of this activity is to identify critical medical and psychological dispositions that should be considered as you look at your ancestry and heredity.
  3. A detailed personality profile of you, written as if you are an observer of your own personality dynamics and behavior(for this assignment you should talk to around three or four people who are very close to you – friends, partner or spouse, close relatives), and written in the third person,
  4. Your Myers‐Briggs typology along with percentages and descriptions of your type,
  5. Your Enneagram number along with an explanation of its meaning,
  6. An essay that identifies your learning style preferences (by taking the VARK inventory online) and details how you learn and retain information.
  7. A detailed written description of a recent or recurring dream along with a detailed analysis of the dreams and its symbols. Be sure to include how this dream informs your life or critical issues or dilemmas in your life that need to be addressed,
  8. A detailed essay on your class as if you were looking upon the class as an experiment in group dynamics. How do you function in groups? What role do you usually take in a group? What important groups do you belong to? What have you learned from your classmates and what have you learned about how groups function around shared tasks, communication dynamics, leadership, power and influence, verbal and nonverbal communication, and other features of a group that you feel you should include in the essay. This should be a personal reflection essay that weaves in the theories and ideas found in the text.

Students are expected to write well‐developed essays that demonstrate a command of writing and grammar at the college level. The portfolio should be written in 11 or 12 point font, 1”margins all around, space and a half, Times New Roman, Arial, or Tahoma fonts, with page justification. Any student who fails to follow these guidelines or does not submit all the items listed for the portfolio will be marked down and will likely receive a failing grade.

This assignment is a critical and important part of your learning experience in this course. It should be given the energy and attention it deserves if you are to gain from it the powerful wisdom and insight that will aid you in self‐assessment, thus helping you in your fair and objective assessment of others. Do not wait until the last minute to complete this assignment. You are being given nearly three months to work on it!

 

Cover page, title sheet: 

It’s All About Me:

A Portfolio of Personal Reflection

Submitted to

[Professor’s Name]

Introduction to Psychology

Bunker Hill Community College

 

[Student’s Name]

Whatever Semester it is, whatever the year

 

© 2007  Professor L. S. Johnson

Department of Behavioral Science

BHCC

[ ] indicates where a change was made.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.